The Social Networking Sites (SNS) Facebook and OpenStudy as Student Learning Forum

Abstract

Even though the popularity of Social Networking Sites has proliferated over the years, however, its educational affiliation has gone largely unexplored. Therefore, this paper primarily examined how information was communicated on the Social Networking Sites (SNS), Facebook and OpenStudy, as part of Liverpool John Moores University Summer Semester 2012 Mass Communication students' learning experience. It studied the effect of students' educational usage of Social Networking Sites, the way in which students' learning resources were shared and exchanged online in a Facebook closed group named “LJMU Mass Comm Union'12”. The appeal and motivational strategies adopted by Social Networking Sites through elements of edutainment which 'repackaged' online learning as a fun and leisure activity was also considered.